LeBron James Talks “Michael Jordan Moment”

20 years ago Michael Jordan and the Bulls finished the Phoenix Suns off in six games to solidify their spot in history as the third team to ever three-peat in the NBA, almost thirty years after the Boston Celtics won eight in a row. And while Chicago would go on to do it again, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers, most of the talk around the NBA is whether the Miami Heat can follow suit next season. LeBron James has said numerous times that he doesn’t want Mike comparisons, that his game is more tailored for distributing, but as the game’s current undisputed greatest, the match-ups will forever continue. James sat down with SI’s Lee Jenkins for an interview, and when the two talked about the Game 7 series clinching jumper, James said: ““I know it wasn’t the magnitude of MJ hitting that shot in ’98, but I definitely thought about him,” James said. “It was an MJ moment.” He paused as a turn of phrase came to mind. “It was an LJ moment.” Do you see LeBron surpassing Mike as the G.O.A.T? For more quotes from the article hit the jump and read it in its entirety from Sports Illustrated.

James uncorked 20 shots outside the paint in Game 7, the most since he arrived in South Florida three years ago. He drained nine, including five three-pointers. But with 33 seconds left, Miami was only up by two, and James bounced the ball on the blazing Heat logo at midcourt. He was back in the ring of fire. With the floor expertly spaced by Spoelstra, guard Mario Chalmers darted up from the post to set a screen on Leonard at the left elbow, and James bounded around it. Parker switched onto him, but James planted his left shoulder into Parker’s chest, sending him stumbling backward. Leonard recovered, tossing out a hand to contest, but James did not hesitate. He pulled up from 20 feet, easy as an August afternoon at St. V, with the same result. “I know it wasn’t the magnitude of MJ hitting that shot in ’98, but I definitely thought about him,” James said. “It was an MJ moment.” He paused as a turn of phrase came to mind. “It was an LJ moment.”

What’s interesting about James’ recounting of his signature shot to Jenkins is that he manages to be both reverential to Jordan’s shot — which was indeed ever-so-slightly more dramatic — while also finding his own footing as the best candidate yet to challenge Jordan’s GOAT standing. It takes a mature, thoughtful, basketball-obsessed mind to find a way to wear both hats — and make them fit.

Sure, James should be spared the pithy “MJ never did [blank]” one-liners that pop up way too often when he does stumble. Beyond that, though, the Jordan comparisons are a service — not a disservice — to the league’s reigning MVP. They are clearly fuel for James’ fire and, importantly, they would be taking place inside his head even if our national obsession with the topic didn’t exist.

So let the conversation and debate rage on.